Hame-tug



E. J. BLOOD.

(Model.)

Hams Tugg" No. 240,501. Pfe'nied Aprilxzalssl;

^ lunghi-o1' UNITED STATES 'PATENT OFFICE.

EDWIN J..BLOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HAM'E-Tue.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 24",51, dated April 26, 1881.

` Application Iiled January 29, 1881. (Model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWIN J. BLOOD, of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and 3 is a transverse section on the line y y, Fig.

l, looking to the left. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed section, on the line m ar, Fig. l, of one bridge with the clutch in position for detachment. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective View of the clutch. I

The same letters denote the. same parts in all the figures.

My invention relates to means for fastening the traces of harnessto the hames; and it consists in the several devices and combinations of devices, which will be fullyT set forth hereinafter, and pointed out deinitely in the claims, theobject being to provide a perfectly secure attachment adjustable at different lengths,

` more simple, convenient, and economical than those ordinarily in use.

In the drawings, A denotes a frame, of metal or other suitable material, provided at the rear endwith the guards a and a', for confining the forward part of the .trace Bin a direction parallel to that of the frame, the outer guard, a, being a little forward of the inner, a', and each being bent at the ends, so as to stand oft'a little from the rest of the frame, and thus allowthe trace, when in use, to lie a little nearer to the horses body than the frame, and to be passed forward and downward between the two bars for the purpose of bringing it into position for attachment and detachment. AThe frame has also near this end the customary loops a2 ou its it a completely-closed loop, and to constitute a lining for the interior of C, so that the latter Will not come in contact with the hook on the hame. The guard-hook C has a short shank, c', which is affixed to the inner face of the shank of() by a screw or rivet.

It is found that the wear in attachments of .this class comes principally on the inner facel `connected at convenient distances by crossbars or bridges D, each nearly in the form of a quarter-cylinder having its quadrantal convex surface forwardV and its lower edge forward of the upper and about on a level with the tops of the side bars. These bridges rest at their ends on supports d, raised above the upper edges of the side bars, A', and extending a little way back of the bridges. From the facing sides of these supports lips or stops d' project a short distance inwardly-thatis, each toward the opposite side bar. Between the upper of the bridge D and the forward end of the lip d there is a little space, just enough to admit easily the thickness of the arched portion E of the clutch E, which is fastened to the forward end of the trace B. The entire frame A, except the guard-hook C', may be made in a single casting. The forward edge of each lip d is curved to correspond to the curvature of E', which is bent nearly in the form of a half-circle or hollow half-cylinder. From the base of this arched portion extend backward a pair of straight bars, e, which support between their farther ends a cylindrical cross-bar, e', around which the forward end of the trace is fastened, in the usual way of fastening a strap on .the frame of a buckle. A tongue, c2, extends backward from the rear surface of this cross-bar, and is inserted between vthe thicknesses of the trace, which is thus kept from turning on the bar.

To attach the trace to any one of the bridges D, the clutch must be brought into such a position that the diameter or span of its arched I IOC of the lips d and the upper edge of the bridge D and hooked on the latter. The trace being then drawn between the guards a and a into a direction parallel with that of the side bars, A, the arched portion E of the clutch will by the same motion be turned downward and'forward, so as to fit on the arched surface of the bridge D. In this position the clutch will be incapable of being detached from the bridge, any backward pull bringing the conveXit-y of the arch against the forward ends of the lips d', and any forward thrust (if such were possible) setting the base ot' the arch Iirmly against the back ot' the bridge. It', now, it be desired to det-ach the trace, it must be drawn forward between the guides until slack enough has been obtained to turn it so far that the span of the arch E. shall pass a perpendicular and make an angle ot' nearly forty-five degrees. The arch will then lose its hold on the bridge, and can be slipped down between the bridge and the lip. f

Obviously by detaching the clutch from one bridge and attaching it to another the distance from the haine to the whiffletree will be lengthened or shortened, as the case may be, andthe number of bridges and length of the frame A may be adapted to the desired number and range ofsuch adjustments.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a llame-tug, aframe having longitudinal bars provided with aconnectingbridge inclined downward and forward, and convex on its forward side, and with an inwardly-projecting lip arranged on each bar a little behind the bridge, and having its forward and lower side re-en trantly curved similarly to the bridge, in combination with a clutch provided at its forward end with a hollow cylindrical portion similarly curved, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. A tug-hook, in combination with a guardhook of similar curvature arranged within it reversely and detachably connected with it, substantially-as and for the purpose described.

3. The frame A, provided with the bridges D and lips d', in combination with the clutch E, provided with the hollow cylindrical portion E', all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The clutch E, provided with the hollow cylindrical portion E', cross-bar e', and tongue e2, all constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

EDWIN J. BLOOD.

Witnesses JN0. C. MAoGnEeoR, ALICE HoLLIsTER.. 

